Former Hearts director furious over shock sackings

THE former director of football at Hearts Football Club has said that he is angry and mystified over his shock sacking along with manager Graham Rix, last week.

Writing for Scotland on Sunday, Jim Duffy has also revealed that he and Rix pleaded with the son of Hearts' millionaire Lithuanian owner to allow them to stay at the club until after next week's cup clash with city rivals Hibs.

Duffy also said that he and Rix are furious that they were told to go by Roman Romanov, the son of owner Vladimir Romanov, and that he does not expect the Hearts job to appeal to many people because of the impossible demands of the owner.

He said that last Wednesday morning, as he went in to work, he had no idea that things were anything other than normal and that he was even reassured by previous remarks by Vladimir Romanov that no managerial changes were expected before the end of the season.

He said: "The timing of our departures was surely entitled to surprise us. I tried to reason with Roman Romanov and asked that the club consider giving Graham just another 10 days; let him take the team into the Scottish Cup semi-final against Hibs and then see what happened. To that I was told in no uncertain terms that the decision was made and that was that."

He added: "I am angry, absolutely furious, about what happened. It is devastating to lose your job when there is absolutely no reason. If I haven't come out spitting blood it is only because I have become philosophical about what football can throw at you."

Taken from the Scotsman